Reel support



Nov. 10, 1964 R. H. DALE 3,

REEL SUPPORT Filed July 31, 1962 v H I3 20 I3 mmvrozz r \o RALPH H. DALE ATTORN EY.

United States Patent 3,156,428 REEL SUPPORT Ralph H. Dale, Littleton, (3010., assignor to Honeywell Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 31, 1962, Ser. No. 213,723 Claims. (Cl. 242-683) This invention relates to tape transports. More specifically, the present invention relates to reel supporting devices. a

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved reel support for securely fastening a tape reel on the associated equipment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved reel support for fastening tape reels in a firm driving relation and which features a rapid'reelchanging facility.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved reel support, as set forth herein, which is characterized by simplicity of operation and construction.

In accomplishing these and other objects, there has been provided, in accordance with the present invention, a tape reel support having a plurality of spring-biased reel locking tabs. The tabs are pivotally end-mounted on a support means, which means is slidably mounted on a reel mounting hub. Through this slidable mounting, the support means is arranged to have a transverse movement with respect to a reel mounted on a reel receiving peripheral extension of the hub. This transverse movement is effective to provide a selective pivotal movement of the tabs under the influence of the bias springs. This pivotal motion of the tabs, in turn, is effective to provide the free ends of the tabs with a radial motion with respect to the hub. In one extremity of this radial motion, the free ends of the tabs are positioned on the reel and, under the effect of the bias springs, the tabs are effective to retain the reel firmly against the reel receiving extension of the hub. In the opposite extremity of this radial motion, the free ends of the tabs are positioned in a noninterfering position on a tab receiving ring mounted on the hub to allow either mounting or dismounting of the reel with respect to the hub.

A better understanding of the present invention may be had from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial top view of a reel support embodying the present invention shown in association with a tape reel.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the reel support shown in FIG. 1 in a locked, or reel retaining position taken along line 22.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the reel support shown in FIG. 1 in an unlocked position taken along line 2-2.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a reel support having a plurality of locking tabs 1. These tabs 1 are pivotally end-mounted on a support means 2 by respective pivot pins 3. The support means 2 comprises a central hollow cylindrical member 5 having a plurality of radially extending arms 6 attached thereto. The arms 6 are equal in number to the number of locking tabs 1 and are arranged to provide a support at their outer unattached ends for respective ones of the pivot pins 3 on spaced apart downwardly extending sides of the arms 6. The pivoting action of the tabs 1, accordingly, is performed within the confines of the arms 6, and the normally visible free ends of the tabs 1, in a reel locked position, are substantially coextensive with the unattached ends of the arms 6.

A hub means 10 is used to coaxially support the cylindrical support means 5 upon one end of a mating cylindrical post 11. The post 11 is arranged to allow a sliding motion of the support means 5 upon the post 11. The other end of the post 11 is mounted upon a hub base plate 12 which plate 12 is arranged to be driven by a drive shaft 13. The base plate 12 has an outwardly extending annular ring 15 mounted thereon coaxially with the post 11. The outside diameter of the ring 15 corresponds approximately to the inner diameter of a hub-receiving aperture of a tape reel 16 to allow the tape reel 16 to be carried on a reel-receiving portion of the base plate 12 ooaxially with the post 11.

A driving key 18 is attached to the ring 15 to mate with one of a plurality of slots in a hub aperture of the reel 16 whereby to transfer the rotational motion of the shaft 13 to the reel 16. A plurality of springs 20 are connected between respective ones of the tabs 1 and the base plate 12 to spring-bias the tabs 1 toward the base plate 12 around the pivot pins 3.

In operation, the support means 2 is slid upon the post 11 by grasping the member 5 in the spaces between the arms 6 and pulling in a direction perpendicular to the base plate 12. This sliding movement upon the post 11 is effective to move the arms 6 and the tabs 1 along with the member 5. Since the tabs 1 are spring-biased toward the base plate 12, the aforesaid sliding motion is effective to pivot the tabs 1 around the pins 3 as a result of the restraint exerted by the springs 26. This pivoting action is effective to impart a radial motion to the free ends of the tabs 1 to position the end-s of the tabs 1 on the ring 15 within the outside diameter of the ring 15. The aforesaid sliding motion is continued until an extreme position is reached by the member 5 wherein the ends of the tabs 1 are positioned fully on the ring 15 as shown in FIG. 3. V

The support means 2 is now released, and the member 5 with the arms 6 and tabs 1 is retained in the extended position by the continuing effect of the springs 20. The position of the ends of the tabs 1 in a non-interfering position on the ring 15 is effective either to free the reel 16 for removal from the base plate 12 or to allow a reel 16 to be positioned on the base plate 12 concentrically with the ring 15.

In order to lock the reel 16 on the plate 12, the support means 2 is pushed back on the post 11 by a force exerted on the member 15 in a direction toward the plate 12. This motion of the support means 2 is effective to return the arms 6 and the tabs 1 to their former position. Thus, the tabs 1 pivot on the pins 3, and the ends of the tabs 1 move, by the aforesaid radial motion, off the ring 15. The length of the tabs 1 is arranged to produce a final position of the free ends of the tabs 1 on the outside surface of the reel 16. Since the tabs 1 are still under the influence of the springs 20, the spring tension is applied through the free ends of the tabs 1 to the reel 16 to retain it firmly against the base plate 12. As previously discussed, the key 18 is effective to transmit the rotary motion of the base plate 12 to the reel 16 while the reel 16 is firmly retained on the plate 12 by the tabs 1 and the springs 20.

Thus, it may be seen that there has been presented, in accordance with the present invention, an improved tape reel support for firmly fastening tape reels in a driving relationship and which features a rapid reel-changing facility.

What is claimed is:

1. A reel support comprising a base plate having a reel flange receiving surface, an outwardly extending post mounted on said reel receiving surface of said plate, a support member slidably mounted on said post, an outwardly extending ring mounted on said reel-receiving surface of said base plate to encircle said post and having an outside diameter approximately equal to the diameter of a hub-receiving aperture in a reel and an inside diameter arranged to allow the sliding movement of said support member, an arm mounted on said support member and extending radially outward with respect to said post, a locking tab end-pivoted on said arm and having a length sufiicient to extend a free end of said tab past said ring in one position of said support member and a spring connected between said tab and said base plate to bias said tab towards said base plate whereby to clamp a reel on said receiving surface in said one position.

2. A reel support comprising a base plate having a reel flange receiving surface, a drive shaft for said plate, an outwardly extending post mounted on said reel receiving surface of said plate and axially aligned with said drive shaft, a support member slidably mounted on said post, an outwardly extending ring mounted on said reel-receiving surface of said base plate concentrically with said post and having an outside diameter approximately equal to the diameter of a hub-receiving aperture in a reel and an inside diameter arranged to allow the sliding movement of said support member, an arm mounted on said support member and extending radially outward with respect to said post, a locking tab endpivoted on said arm and having a length sufficient to extend a free end of said tab past said ring in one position of said support member and a spring connected between said tab and said base plate to bias said tab towards said base plate whereby to clamp a reel on said reel receiving surface in said one position.

3. A reel support comprising a base plate having a reel flange receiving surface, an outwardly extending post mounted on said reel receiving surface of said plate, a support member slidably mounted on said post, an outwardly extending ring mounted on said reel-receiving surface of said base plate to encircle said post and having an outside diameter approximately equal to the diameter of a hub-receiving aperture in a reel and an inside diameter arranged to allow the sliding movement of said support member, a plurality of arms mounted on said support member and each extending radially outward with respect to said post, a plurality of locking tabs endpivoted on respective ones of said arms and each having a length sufficient to extend a free end of said tabs past said ring in one position of said support member and at least one spring connected between a respective one of said tabs and said base plate to bias said tab towards said base plate whereby to clamp a reel on said reel receiving surface in said one position.

4. A reel support comprising a base plate having a reel flange receiving surface, a drive shaft for said plate, an outwardly extending post mounted on said reel receiving surface of said plate and axially aligned with said drive shaft, a support member slidably mounted on said post, an outwardly extending ring mounted on said reel-receiving surface of said base plate concentrically with said post and having an outside diameter approximately equal to the diameter of a hub-receiving aperture in a reel and an inside diameter arranged to allow the sliding movement of said support member, a plurality of arms mounted on said support member and extending radially outward with respect to said post, a plurality of locking tabs endpivoted on respective ones of said arms and each having a length suflicient to extend a free end of said tabs past said ring in one position of said support member and at least one spring connected between a respective one of said tabs and said base plate to bias said tab towards said base plate whereby to clamp a reel on said reel receiving surface in said one position.

5. A reel support as set forth in claim 4 wherein said ring includes a key member arranged to mate with a key member receiving slot in a reel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,316,633 Palmgren Sept. 23, 1919 2,696,950 Ranger Dec. 14, 1954 2,882,078 MacDonald Apr. 14, 1959 2,919,079 Winslow Dec. 29, 1959 2,928,620 Stavrakis et al Mar. 15, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 600,158 Great Britain Apr. 1, 1948 

1. A REEL SUPPORT COMPRISING A BASE PLATE HAVING A REEL FLANGE RECEIVING SURFACE, AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING POST MOUNTED ON SAID REEL RECEIVING SURFACE OF SAID PLATE, A SUPPORT MEMBER SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID POST, AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING RING MOUNTED ON SAID REEL-RECEIVING SURFACE OF SAID BASE PLATE TO ENCIRCLE SAID POST AND HAVING AN OUTSIDE DIAMETER APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE DIAMETER OF A HUB-RECEIVING APERTURE IN A REEL AND AN INSIDE DIAMETER ARRANGED TO ALLOW THE SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, AN ARM MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD WITH RESPECT TO SAID POST, A LOCKING TAB END-PIVOTED ON SAID ARM AND HAVING A LENGTH SUFFICIENT TO EXTEND A FREE END OF SAID TAB PAST SAID RING IN ONE POSITION OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND A SPRING CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID TAB AND SAID BASE PLATE TO BIAS SAID TAB TOWARDS SAID BASE PLATE WHEREBY TO CLAMP A REEL ON SAID RECEIVING SURFACE IN SAID ONE POSITION. 